Toy projectile and parachute device



vSept. 10, 1957 A. RUTHVEN TOY PROJECTILE .AND PARACHUTE DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 8, 1954 Sept. 10, 1957 A. L. RUTHVEN TOY PROJECTILE AND PARACHUTE DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 8, 1954 -Patented Sept. 10, 1957 ice TOY PROJECTILE AND PARACHUTE DEVICE Alfred L. Ruthven, Binghamton, N. Y., assignor to Betty Rae Nealon, Vestal, N. Y.

Application March 8, 1954, Serial No. 414,577

6 Claims. (Cl. 46-86) This invention relates to a projectile and parachute device, more particularly to a toy projectile and parachute device which may be shot into the air such as by a slingshot and allowed to return to earth by means of the parachute, and it is an object of the invention to provide an improved device of this character.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a device of the character indicated having an improved stabilizer for maintaining the projectile stable during upward flight.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a device of the character indicated wherein the parachute canopy itself forms the projectile stabilizer.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved device of the character indicated which is simple in construction, involves the use of a minimum number of parts, and is inexpensive to manufacture.

In essence, the invention involves utilizing the parachute canopy as a stabilizer for the projectile, this being efiectuated by disposing the parachute canopy toward the rear end of the projectile, whereby in effect it eliminates the need for fins, fietching, or the like. The parachute canopy is linked to the projectile in such a manner that after the projectile has reached its uppermost height and begins to back down, the parachute is released and opens, following which the device returns to the ground slowly. The dimensions of the parachute and the manner of holding its crown to the projectile or arrow are such that the parachute canopy initially is disposed near the rear of the projectile.

Other objectsand advantages of the device will become apparent as the description proceeds and for a better understanding of the invention, reference is made to the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of the projectile and parachute device with the parts in their positions prior to upward flight;

Fig. 2 is a similar view on a somewhat smaller scale with the parts in their positions immediately after shooting the projectile into the air;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the device with the parts in their positions immediately after the device has started in its downward movement;

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of the device with the parts in their positions during downward movement;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view on a larger scale of the device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a side view of the device as shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view on a reduced scale showing the manner of projecting the device into the air;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 8-8 of Fig. 7; V V Y Y 7 Fig.9 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but of a modified form of device; 7

Fig. 10 is a side view of another modified form of device; and '3 Fig. 11 is an elevational view of the device shown in Fig. 10.

Referring to the drawings, the invention is shown as comprising the combination of a projectile 10 and a parachute 11 appropriately attached to each other, as will be more particularly described.

The projectile 10 may be made of wood preferably, although other materials, such as metals, may be used, and is essentially an arrow. It may be of such length that it may be conveniently shot into the air by means of a slingshot or a bow. The arrow itself is free of ordinary stabilizing means, such as fins or fietching, and preferably is a perfectly smooth shaft. As shown, the projectile is provided at the upper end for safety reasons with a sponge-rubber tip 12 which may be eliminated if desired and at the lower end with a notch 13, the purpose of which will become apparent subsequently in this specification.

The parachute 11 comprises a canopy 14 made of any suitable light material, such as textiles for example. Cotton, or synthetic materials, for example those sold commercially under the trade-name nylon, are suitable as canopy material. Spaced around the periphery of the canopy 14 are a series of shroud lines 15 which are connected together and joined by tying or otherwise to a single cord or riser 16 which is attached in any suitable manner to the arrow 10 substantially midway between the ends thereof. At the upper end or crown of the canopy, there is provided a link 17 which may be a cord attached to the crown and providing a loop adapted to be disposed over the end of a pin 19 so as to hold the crown of the canopy to the arrow during the upward flight thereof The arrow 10 is provided with a notch 21 within which the exposed end of pin 19 is arranged, such that the end of the pin does not project exteriorly of the shaft and consequently cannot easily catch on surrounding elements. The pin 19 may, for example, be a small nail driven into the shaft of arrow 10 and bent upwardly or longitudinally of the arrow, as may be seen best in Figs. 5 and 6. With this construction, when the arrow is moving upwardly, resistance of the air against the parachute canopy keeps the loop 17 firmly engaged in the notch 21 behind the end of pin 19. However, immediately upon the arrow moving slightly backward after having reached the uppermost point of its flight, air tends to inflate the parachute canopy and lifts the loop 17 out of notch 21 and from behind pin 19, as may be understood best in considering Figs. 5 and 6, and Fig. 3 in which the parachute canopy is shown immediately after the projectile starts its downward movement.

For holding the canopy 14 while the device is being readied for shooting into the air so as to leave the hands of the operator free for appropriate manipulation of the slingshot or bow, there is provided a cord 22 which is attached at one end 23 to the shaft of arrow 10, is passed over or interlinked singly with the shroud lines 15, and has a portion 24 at its other end lying in the notch 13 at the lower end of the shaft, all as may be seen best in Fig. 1. Thus prior to shooting the arrow into the air, the end portion 24 is drawn relatively tightly into the notch 13 and is held there by the fingers of the operator, as may be visualized in Fig. 7 in which the device is shown about to be projected by means of an ordinary slingshot.

After the device has been shot into the air, the para chute canopy 14 tends to hug the shaft of the arrow and by virtue of the air currents and flutterings of the canopy and the shroud lines, the cord 22 disengages itself from the shroud lines 15 and streams rearwardly,

as may be seen best in Fig. 2. The hugging of the arrow shaft by the canopy 14 and the disposition of the canopy by virtue of its own dimensions of the length of the link 17 and of the disposition of pin 19 along the length of the arrow sothat the canopy lies toward the rear thereof stabilizes the arrow-in its upward flight so that the front end thereof remains pointed in the direction of the projection; The arrow, accordingly, does not tumble or curve unduly from its projected pathbut remains true to it.' The dimensions of the canopy 14,

the length of link 17, and the disposition of pin 19 may be varied to suit individual constructions so long as the canopy 14is disposed toward the rear of the arrow to causes air to fill the cariopy,'as may be visualized in Fig/ 3, whereby the link 17 is lifted from behind the pin 19 and the parachute is free.

The pin 21 may be disposed rearwardly of the center of the arrow whereby the weight of the canopy 14 is disposed rearwardly of the arrows center of gravity. Thus the Weight of the canopy assists in stabilizing the arrow in its upward flight and assures that it will move straight down after reaching its peak.

Continued downward movement causes the canopy 14 to fill completely with air, thereby slowing its downward movementand permitting the arrow 10 to fall downwardly and be suspended by the shroud lines and riser 16, as may be seen best in Fig. 4; The device then floats to the ground slowly .and gracefully. The riser 16 is attached substantially midway "between the ends of the arrow in order that it be disposed horizontally during the downward movement. The hazards attendant upon the projectile coming down end first, whether this be the forward or rearward end, are thus eliminated. The device also returns to earth somewhat more slowly by virtue of the horizontal position of the arrow, the arrow being balanced so that attaching the riser at the mid point causes it to assume the horizontal position. If desired, the riser 16 may be attached toward the front or rear of the arrow.

-It has been found preferable to have the arrow 10 of suflicient length so that half of'its length is greater than the length of the shroud lines 15 and the riser 16. Ac-.

cordingly, neither end of the projectile 16 can become disposed inside of the canopy 14 and thus tangled with the shroud lines 15,

In Fig. 7, the slingshot comprising a handle 25 and a rubber band 26 is shown. The rubber band 26 is continuous, thereby forming a seat for the'end of the arrow (dotted lines) held by one hand of the operator. The handle 25 is provided with a curved seat 27 within which the arrow shaft lies whileit is "being projected into the.

air. Referring to Fig. l in connection with Fig.7, it will be observed that the end portion 24 of cord 22 will be held in between the sides of the rubber band 26; Thus the canopy 14 will :be 'held'in appropriate posi- The rubber band tion during the shooting operation. 26 may be attached to the handle 25 in any desired manner and in the embodiment illustrated is held to the handle 25 by having the two sides of the rubber band seated ward movement of the device even though the projectile 10 maybe slightly unbalanced.

If the device is shot into the air by a how, not illustrated, the notch 13 first receives therein the bow string. The portion 24 of cord 22 being already in notch 13 causes the cord 22 to be appropriately held and consequently the shroud lines and canopy are held in place during shooting.

In Figs. 10 and 11 another manner of attaching the link 17 to the arrow shaft is shown. A notch 21 is provided in the shaft 10 and a pin 31 is driven into the shaft at the base of notch 21 so that the head of the pin is exposed within the notch, the exposed portion of the pin :being substantially longitudinal of the shaft. In operation, the loop 17 would be engaged over the exposed head of pin 31 and is easily disengaged upon opening of the parachute.

While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown, it will be understood, ofcourse, that the invention is not limitedlthereto since many modifications may be made, and it is,-therefore, contemplated by the appended claims to coverany such modifications as fall within the true spiritand 'scopelofihe invention;

The invention. having thus .been described, What is. claimed and desired to besecured by Letters Patent is:

l. A projectile and .parachutedevice.comprising an arrow, a canopy, a link attached to the crown of said canopy and being removably linked to said arrow whereby the opening of said canopy upon reverse movement of said arrow effects unlinkingof said crown therefrom, and the weight of the combined arrow and canopy being so distributed as to cause the arrow to move down rearwardly initially after reaching its uppermost point, shroud lines extending at spaced intervals from the periphery of said canopy, and attached to said arrow, said canopy being disposed to one side of the longitudinal axis of said arrow, and said link having a length whereby said canopy substantially in its entirety is disposed toward. the rear of said arrow and consequently acts as a stabilizer during upward flight.

2. A projectile and parachute apparatus comprising an arrow, a canopy having its crown removably linked to said arrow whereby the opening of said canopy upon reverse movement of said arrow effects unlink-ing of said crown therefrom, said link comprising a pin having aportion extending substantially longitudinally of said arrow and a loop attached to said crown and loosely disposed over said protuberance, andthe weight of the combined arrow andcanopy being so distributed as to cause the arrow to move down rearwardly initially after reaching its uppermost point, shroud lines extending at spaced intervals from the periphery of said .canopy and attached to said arrow substantially midway between the. ends thereof, said canopy being disposed-to one side of the longitudinal axis of said arrow, and said canopy sub stantially in its entirety being disposed initially adjacent the rear portion of said arrow whereby to act as a stabilizer for said arrow during upward flight.

3. A projectile and parachute apparatus comprising an arrow, a canopy having its crown removably linked to said arrow whereby the opening of saidcanopyiupon reverse movement of said arrow effects uni-inking of said crown therefrom, and the weight of the combined arrow and canopy being so distributed as to cause the ar row to move down rearwardlyinitially after reaching its uppermost point, shroud lines extending at spaced intervals from the periphery of said canopy'and attached to said arrow substantially midway, between (the ends thereof, said canopy substantially in its entirety being.

disposed initially adjacent the rear portion of said arrow and to one side of the longitudinal axis thereof'whereby to act as a stabilizer for-said arrow during upward flight, and a flexible link attached at one end to said projectile, interlinked singly with saidsshroud lines and having its other end positionable under the base of said arrow whereby to hold said shroud lines in place prior to shooting of said projectile.

4. A projectile and parachute apparatus comprising an arrow, a canopy having its crown removably linked to said arrow whereby the opening of said canopy upon reverse movement of said arrow efiects unlinking of said crown therefrom, and the weight of the combined arrow and canopy being so distributed as to cause the arrow to move down rearwardly initially after reaching its uppermost point, shroud lines extending at spaced intervals from the periphery of said canopy and being attached together at their lower ends, and a stabilizer cord attached to said lower ends substantially midway of its length and having its ends attached to said arrow on each side of its midpoint, said canopy substantially in its entirety being disposed initially adjacent the rear portion of said arrow and to one side of the longitudinal axis thereof whereby to act as a stabilizer for said arrow during upward flight.

5. A projectile and parachute device comprising an arrow, a canopy having its crown removably linked to said arrow intermediate its ends, whereby the opening of said canopy upon reverse movement of said arrow ef fects unlinking of said crown therefrom, and the weight of the combined arrow and canopy being so distributed as to cause the arrow to move down rearwardly initially after reaching its uppermost point, shroud lines extending from the periphery of said canopy at spaced intervals and attached to said arrow substantially midway between the ends thereof, and the point of said linking being disposed whereby the canopy is disposed initially substantially in its entirety adjacent the rear portion of said arrow and to one side of the longitudinal axis thereof to form a stabilizer for the arrow during upward flight, the length of each portion of said arrow from the ends thereof to the point of attachment thereto of said shroud lines being greater than the length of said shroud lines.

6. A projectile and parachute device comprising an arrow, a canopy having its crown removably linked to said arrow intermediate its ends, whereby the opening of said canopy upon reverse movement of said arrow effects unlinking of said crown therefrom, shroud lines extending from the periphery of said canopy at spaced intervals and attached to said arrow, the point of said linking being disposed rearwardly of the center of gravity of said arrow and the weight of the combined arrow and canopy being so distributed as to cause the arrow to move down backwards initially after reaching its uppermost point, and said canopy being disposed toward the rear of said arrow and to one side of the longitudinal axis thereof whereby the canopy forms a stabilizer for the arrow during upward flight.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Weldon May 23, 1950 

